Eminem, Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, and More Share the Story of Shady Records

The name Shady Records doesn’t carry nearly as much clout as it used to — did you know the label celebrated its 15th anniversary last year? — but it’s the subject of a new short documentary by Complex magazine. It includes all the major players — Eminem, Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, Paul Rosenberg, etc. — who each share memories of how the label got its start. From Dre finding out Em was white (4:00) to Interscope initially not wanting Em to start his own label (14:26) to 50 Cent nearly missing his flight to sign with Em because he wore a bulletproof vest and brought a pistol to an airport (18:00), here’s how Shady Records became one of the most dominant labels of the last 20 years. (Warning: You might want a tissue nearby when they talk about Proof’s death.)

Dr. Dre, Eminem, and 50 Cent on Shady Records